An Outdoorsman's Guide To The Calls Of Common Thieves

A way down

05/06/2024-07/06/2024

Emotions - Brenda Lee

As I enter my apartment, I see the flannel. Ryan's flannel. I had hung it up and kept the hanger on the doorknob of the cupboard. I don't know why, but it's almost like a decoration. A prized possession to display - only when no one is visiting, of course.

I come out of the bathroom after changing and doing my nightly routine, and I see it again. I pick up the hanger, and, opening the cupboard door, I hang it up. But, before closing the door...

I take it off the hanger.

Sitting on my bed, I slip it over each arm carefully, as if it's a fragile and precious thing, and I slowly run my fingers down the buttons. It has a smell - not a bad one, it smells like... a kind of woody, earthy, slightly floral perfume. Is this... his perfume? I'm not intentionally, like, intently sniffing the fabric, because I'm weird, but not that weird (or am I?) but the smell just sort of diffuses into the air surrounding it. I turn off the lights and pad back over to my bed, sliding under the covers, and slowly fall asleep.

As I slowly awake, I find myself ... wait. that's not right. But it feels... oh. Ryan's not here.

Dream - The Pied Pipers

I sit up in my bed, realising why I had thought he was here. The flannel. It's warm after being under the covers, and again, it smells like him. I smell like him. I mean, I'm not complaini-

Rubbing my eyes and getting out of bed, I take off the dreaded yet prized piece of fabric and hang it up with my pyjamas. I then proceed to get ready for the day and my work.

After a pleasant visit from Charlotte and Ethan for their sessions, I change into a nice, summery outfit to accommodate for the weather, and spray myself with my signature scent: a perfume with rose and a hint of vanilla. It's the only perfume I own, and I spent a long time finding a scent that I both like and I could wear forever without getting sick of it, you know?

I don't think I wore it much when I first got here, but now since I've been here for a month, I should start. Scent is a powerful sense after all.

Following the forest path to our usual meeting spot, I see Ryan sitting over the edge. Concern is the first thought that comes to mind, seeing as looking over the edge has troubled him before, but I decide to just pretend I don't remember, for now, and just be normal.

"Hey Ryan!" I sit beside him on his right.
"Hey Z. How was your morning?"
"Good, yours?"
"Yeah, good."
He has a pair of binoculars in his lap.
"What are those for?"
He picks them up. "I was just looking at some fish. In the stream. It's a bit low down from here, but I haven't found a way down yet."
"Surely there's a way, right?"
I peer over the edge. Looking over high surfaces always scares me. One wrong move and the lack of balance could tip you over. And boom, you're dead. But, if I could find a way down to the stream, then it might just be worth the risk. "You up for a scavenger hunt?"
He takes a deep breath. "Yeah. Let's do it."

Worth It If It Hurts - Tom Bromley

We walk along the edge of the cliff, talking about the randomest things as always but talking nonetheless.
"You didn't like it?"
"No, it was too... too plain."
"Ok, then you haven't eaten it properly. I'm gonna make you some tofu. My way."
"Alright, I'm sure I'll like it much better."
"I'm sure you will."
I constantly think about Ryan's sleep schedule now. I wonder if I should ask him about it, and when I should ask him about it, but it's not the kind of topic that fits into regular and random conversation. Or...can it?
"So, do you cook a lot at home?"
"Yeah. There aren't many restaurants around here, and the few that do exist aren't new."
"Ahh, I see your problem."
"A plus is that the shops and markets all have fresh produce, so that's always nice."
"I haven't actually been to a restaurant since I came here. I mean, not counting the Black Lantern that is."
"We should go together sometime."
We should go together sometime? Is that the kind of invitation I think it i-
"I-i mean together as in you and me and Steph and Alex. Like- us four, like we us together. Um..."
"Sounds fun. We should totally go we us together." I chuckle, both at Ryan's cute clarification and my own stupidity. However, dates or not, I need to focus so I can continue to guide the conversation in the direction that I need it to go.
"You seem like a late night dinner kind of guy."
"Yeah?"
"Am I right?"
"Yeah. Late night dinner. The best kind."
"I have to agree with you there. My best dinners are when it's late, and I'm eating while working."
"What kind of work do you do late at night? I thought all your stuff gets done in the morning."
"The appointments are one thing, actually figuring my way around what people have said is another thing. People come to me for advice, and I wanna be absolutely sure that I'm telling them the right thing. Especially when there's a client who's bugging my mind."
"Huh. I'd have thought all your clients bug your mind."
"How so?"
"Well, it's clear that you're always thinking of others. That night when Mac was causing trouble, you figured out that Alex was overexposed to angry emotions before both Steph and I did, and you've known her for the least amount of time. And that one day, when I was, you know, feeling down, I don't know if you picked up on it, but you managed to cheer me up. In seconds."
I've heard the phrase 'silent or silenced' before, but I have never experienced it fully and truly until this moment. This massive compliment Ryan just gave me is shutting me up for a good minute.
"T-thanks. I- um..." I clear my throat, feeling my face heat up involuntarily, and try to speak again. "I try."
"You got it."
"S-some bug me more than others though. For example, if I'm trying to figure out why someone is having a certain, reoccurring problem. Like..." I trail off, as a piece of rope tied around a rock catches my eye and interrupts my carefully-planned train of thought.
"What's this?"
It seems we may finally have a way down.